Signal device for automobiles.



1M. BURKE.

SIGNAL DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION men oEc.4. I917- 1,262,748. Y v ma ped Apr. 16, 1918.

SIGNAL DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

- Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

Application filed December 4, 1917. Serial No. 205,338.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MONCURE BURKE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Washington, in the District of Columbla, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signal Devices for Automobiles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to.

the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to a signal device for use on automobiles, whereby the chauffeur may indicate his intention to turn or to slow down prior to actually starting to make the turn or stop.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device that may be attached to an automobile in a few minutes by merely tightening the screws of a mounting bracket.

Another object is to provide a signal de vice that can be operated with equal facility from closed and open cars.

A further object is to so simplify and cheapen the construction of direction indicators of this nature that they will go into general use, thereby promoting the safety of traffic.

It is well known that the large number of automobiles in populous centers has brought about traiiic regulations requiring the greatest care, and many municipalities require the driver of a motor driven vehicle to signalhis intention to turn or to slow down. This has been attempted, heretofore, by waving the hand from the side of the car, and frequently with the wrong hand, owing to the driver being unable to reach his hand to the right when about to turn in that direction. Such signaling is impracticable with closed cars, in any event, and since the number of such cars is steadily increasing, the necessity of some simple and efficient means of signaling is apparent.

In the drawings,--

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an automobile equipped with my invention.

Fig. 2 'is an elevation, partly in section, of a single member of the device.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the center of the cylinder or drum.

Fig. 4 is a view of the cap and pointer.

Fig. 5 is a perspective of the mountingbracket detached.

In its preferred form my device consists of two similar signals 1 and 2, mounted respectively on the right and left front mud guards 3 and 4: of an automobile 5 and connected together by a cord 6 for simultaneous operation by means of a main cord 7 operated from the drivers seat, the signal 2 being the master element.

Each signal consists of a cylinder or drum 8 secured by screws 9 to a frame 10 having its ends 11, 12 bent parallel to each other and perforated to loosely receive a main shaft 13, preferably in the form of a long bolt having its head 14 just free of the end 11. Longitudinal movement of the drum and frame on the shaft is prevented by a bearing nut 15 locked in position by lock nut 16. A washer 17 is provided above the nut 15 to lessen the friction and a stop member 18 is locked in position on the shaft by the two nuts, this stop cooperating with a pin 19 projecting downwardly from the bottom end of the frame to prevent complete rotation of the drum with respect to the shaft. A spring 20 secured to the shaft at 21 and to the bottom at 22 normally holds the drum in such position that the pin contacts with the stop, which it will be noted is angularly adjustable about the shaft, being loose thereon except when locked between the nuts 15 and 16.

A direction indicator 23, preferably in the form of a hand coated with luminous paint, is mounted in a slot 24: of a cap 25 fitting the drum and held in desired angular position thereon by means of a set screw 26. The pointer or indicator, it will be noted, can be angularly adjusted with respect to the shaft by two separate means, one, the set screw 26 and the other, the stop 18, which, as mentioned, is angularly adjustable about the shaft 13.

l have found it advantageous to provide a lamp 27 in the tip of the indek finger of the indicator, connected to the ordinary lighting system in the usual manner, so as to light when the pointer or indicator is moved from straight ahead position. This feature, together with the fact that the signals are placed on the front mud guards where they are set so well forward as to get the benefit of illumination from the lamp, makes the indicator visible at night, and the flashing on of the lamp calls particularattention to the contemplated change of direction.

The signals may be connected to the mudguards in any manner as, for example, by my improved bracket 28 of the form shown in Fig. 5. It consists of a single arc-shaped sheet of metal with a longitudinal slot 29 of suficient size to accommodate the end of bolt13 held fixed by wing nut 30 and a bolt 31 which latter secures the device to the mud guard 32.

By virtue of ths arc-shaped bracket the signal may be set at any angle to the guard wlthin the wide limits permitted by the slot and the two securing means.

The main cord 7 may be attached to the turning mechanism to turn therewith but I prefer to have it under manual control in order to secure the advantage of signaling before making any attempt to turn or stop.

What is claimed is:

1. In a signal .device, a shaft, a drum rotatable thereon and carrying a direction indicator, a stop carried by the shaft, a pin carried by the drum, a spring conecting said drum and shaft and normall holding the pin in contact with the stop and means for altering the angle between the direction indicator and the shaft.

2. ln a signal device, a shaft, a drum rotatable thereon' and carrying a direction indicator, a stop carried by the shaft, a pin carried by the drum, a spring connecting said drum and shaft and normally holding the pin in contact with the stop and a plurality of independent means for adjusting the angle between the drum and the shaft.

3. In a signal device, a fixed shaft, a

frame freely rotatable on said shaft, a drum secured to said frame and rotatable therewith, means for rotataing the frame and drum, a direction indicator forming a cap for the drum, and means for securing the ,cap in any one of a plurality of adjusted positions on the drum.

4. In a signal device, a fixed shaft, a drum freely rotatable on said shaft, a stop adjustably mounted on the shaft, a pin carried by the drum, an adjustable cap forming a top for the drum, a direction indicator on said cap, means for rotating the drum on said shaft, and means for securing the stop in adjusted position on the shaft and the cap in adjusted position on the drum.

MUNCURE BURKE. 

